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■ NILES 1966 What should have been. .... 50 years ago, the #5 team in the USA ! ■


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■  Niles 1966: What should have been ■

Published: 9/16/16 @ 12:10

In 1966, the Niles football team went undefeated, but got no recognition in the polls

By Steve Ruman sports@vindy.com http://www.vindy.com/news/2016/sep/16/what-should-have-been/?mobile

 

This is supposed to be a story with a happy ending.

This very well should be the joyous tale of a football team which ranks among the best from a program which is 118 years old.

Undefeated seasons shouldnt end in disappointment.

However, the story of the 1966 Niles McKinley Red Dragons is in fact the bittersweet saga of a town which celebrated a 10-0 campaign, and agonized the realities of state championships which were decided by coaches and sportswriters.

Fifty years later, the 66 Niles team remains the last in school history to post an undefeated record. They are just one of three teams in school history which can claim an undefeated, untied campaign.

 

The perfect record led to an All-American Conference title. While Niles won state titles in 1961 and 1963, its schedule in those two years could be viewed as weak in comparison to the 1966 slate. In fact, the 66 Dragons are the only team in Ohio history to defeat Canton McKinley, Massillon and Warren G. Harding in the same season.

 

Still, the perfection wasnt enough for Niles to earn a third state title in six years. Instead, it finished second in the state behind Columbus Watterson in both the Associated Press and United Press International polls.

 

THE ROAD TO PERFECTION

In September of 1966, Niles unveiled its newly-renovated Riverside Stadium. Expanded by 4,200 seats, the home of the Red Dragons was now one of the largest and most impressive high school stadiums in the land.

The timing was perfect.

The 66 schedule featured nine straight home games, including tussles with All-American foes Canton McKinley and Massillon.

Anchored by 22 lettermen, Niles was favored to win the AAC and contend for a third state title in six years. The Red Dragons were guided by second-year head coach Bob Shaw, who served under Tony Mason when Niles won its pair of state titles.

 

Niles opened its season at home against a Canton McKinley squad which outscored the Dragons 148-6 in five previous meetings. Senior quarterback Bob Leonard engineered three drives which helped lead the Dragons to a 22-0 win over the Bulldogs. Blowout victories over Cleveland John Adams, Cleveland East Tech and Cincinnati Withrow would follow.

 

The 4-0 start set up a showdown against Massillon in a game which most longtime Niles fans still regard as the greatest in school history.

Shaw would go on to serve as a college assistant at Michigan, Arizona, Southern Illinois, Arkansas, Akron and West Virginia. While at West Virginia in 1988, he was the defensive coordinator when the Mountaineers played Notre Dame for a national title.

Shaw also coached professionally in the United States Football League.

Yet when asked to pinpoint his single greatest night on the sidelines, without hesitation Shaw reflects back to Oct. 8, 1966.

 

In 1964, Massillon ended Niles 48-game unbeaten streak. The Tigers came to Niles in 66 defending state champs and riding a 32-game winning streak.

 

Trailing 12-0 midway through the fourth quarter, Niles seemed on the verge of suffering its third loss to Massillon in three years after committing seven first-half fumbles. But with 15,000 fans looking on, the Dragons scored three touchdowns in the final 4:44 to defeat the Tigers, 20-12.

Unless you lived in Niles in that era, there is no way for anyone to understand exactly what football meant to the community, Shaw said. Niles football was the focal point. Life revolved around Saturday nights in the fall. You didnt dare get married on a Saturday in September or October, because if you did no one showed up.

The importance of that game from a community standpoint, and the way we rallied makes it the greatest game Ive ever been a part of.

Now 85, Shaw is retired and living in Iowa.

High school football was big business back then, Shaw said. If Niles lost, you could bet our house would be egged that night. If we were lucky, fans just put For Sale signs in the yard.

Longtime area sportscaster Denny Liebert, a Niles native, was a teenager watching the victory over Massillon from the stands in the north end zone. He recalls every detail of the game like it was yesterday, in part because of his love for the Dragons, but mostly because of his disdain for the opposition.

Oh, I hated Massillon, I still hate Massillon, Liebert said. They came to Niles with a reputation as the bully on the block. They had a sullied reputation because of their cheating and recruiting issues. To see Niles beat Massillon the way they did, to this day it was as big a thrill as anything Ive witnessed in sports.

Lopsided wins would follow over Toledo Libby (48-14) and Akron St. Vincent (20-0) before the Dragons received a huge scare from Steubenville Catholic Central in a 6-0 victory

Niles closed out its home schedule with a 52-8 rout of Toledo Central Catholic, setting the stage for the season-ending showdown at Warren.

With its sights set on an AAC and state title, the Dragons received rushing touchdowns from Bruce Simeone, Gary Bletsch and Ron Hallock in a 22-6 win over the Panthers. Interceptions by Jim Kines and Steve Mawby helped secure the 10-0 season.

We werent the greatest of players, but we were absolutely a great team, Kines said. As a unit, we played so well together we couldnt lose. We were so well-conditioned, so well-coached and we had a unity that made us special once we took the field.

Simeone echoed the comments made by Kines, and pointed out that more than 20 members of the team recently converged at Bo Rein Stadium, where they were honored prior to the Sept. 2 Niles-Poland game.

Were still the best of friends, Simeone said. To this day, my high school teammates are probably the closest group Ive ever been associated with. There was a bond which developed back then that still exists today. That bond led us to a 10-0 season.

THE BUMP IN THE ROAD

Niles entered the final week of the season ranked second behind Upper Arlington in both the UPI and AP polls. While Niles was defeating seventh-ranked Harding, Upper Arlington was suffering a 32-0 setback at the hands of fifth-ranked Columbus Watterson.

We came back from Warren that night basically celebrating a state title, Leonard recalled. We didnt feel there was any way the championship could be taken away from us. We did everything asked of us against what most would argue was the toughest schedule in the state.

However, the Dragons celebration was short-lived. Three days later, the UPI crowned Watterson state champs. Though Niles received more first-place votes (14 to 10), Watterson outscored Niles in total points 394-392.

It was hard to imagine a fifth-ranked team could leapfrog all the way to No. 1, especially with Niles going on the road and handily beating the seventh-ranked Panthers, Liebert said. I remember the Watterson-Upper Arlington score being announced at Mollenkopf. Watterson 7-0, there was a huge roar. Watterson 14-0, an even louder roar.

As the game became a blowout, I think there was an uneasy feeling from Niles fans. But still, no one believed Watterson would move all the way to the top.

It was later learned that two coaches left Niles completely off their ballots. The glaring omissions prevented Niles from winning its third title in six years.

Years later, Liebert interviewed Bill Shunkwiler, who coached Harding in 1966.

At the time I talked to Bill he was an old man and in failing health, but he had vivid memories of that season, Liebert said. I had always heard he was one of the coaches who left Niles off his ballot, so I asked him if it was true. Sure enough, Bill confirmed. I asked why, and he simply replied, I didnt think they were that good.

You have to remember that even 10-place votes would have given Niles a title. No one can justify that Niles didnt belong in the top ten.

In the AP poll, Watterson received much of its support from the southern portion of the state. Watterson became the first non-Northeast Ohio school to win a title.

Again, two voters left Niles completely off their ballots.

I remember being in the basement of Alberinis the night of the voting, Leonard said. The entire team and coaching staff, we were there for what was supposed to be a celebration. I just remember walking up the stairs and out of the restaurant in disbelief. It was total silence. We did feel robbed.

Shortly after the final polls were released, Shaw and other coaches pressured the Ohio High School Athletic Association to pursue a system where championships would be decided on the field. Six years later, playoff football came to Ohio.

This is a tough pill for any Niles fan to swallow, but I truly believe that the 66 season was good for Ohio high school football, Liebert said. The voting that year was such a travesty that it set in motion the system we have today.

While the 66 Dragons have no state trophy for their efforts, they do take solace in knowing they went 10-0 and won a conference title in a league which at the time was considered perhaps the best in the country.

Players from that whole era, we still get together frequently, Simeone said. The older guys have their titles. We have wins over Massillon, Harding and Canton. Who were the better Niles teams? I guess that will always give us something to bicker about. Thats the fun of sports.

Despite being snubbed by both wire services, the Dragons were named the top team in Ohio by the National Sports News Service. The service also tabbed Niles the fifth ranked team in the country.

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I remember it well I was on the field that year, knee injury but still on the field.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2016/sep/16/what-should-have-been/?mobile

And an interview with Bob Shaw, 85 our old head coach sure brings back memories. We should have had our third Ohio state championship in six years and that was way before the playoff system existed.

We were good and everybody we played and anybody who knew high school football knew it, we were #1.

1966-10-8-229x300.jpg

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Amazing how some things you can remember every detail some things are a bit fuzzy and some you barely or don't recall at all well the Massillon vs Niles game was largely remember everything event.

Massillon in 1966 was very good, up 12-0 at halftime their BIG FB and kicker held his we're #1 finger up for all 15,000 plus us players to see....I remember that, so did our team! We had to score in the late 4th, onside kick, score, onside kick, score again to win the game. I even remember the kid's name that got the second onside kick.

When we scored the final TD we knew we had them, finally!

I also remember the kid standing to my right on the field, we jumped straight up in the air and screamed grabbing each other his name Tom Catlin later Sgt. Thomas D. Catlin killed in Vietnam 6/24/70. I was 19 then he'll be forever 20.

Some things you never forget.

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★   Rev.  1/19/24  just below.   ★

I hope a few of you might have found this little trip back into history somewhat interesting in some way if nothing else to show how people and events and even fate can intersect in strange ways.

* My classmate and friend Tom Catlin who went to Vietnam and was killed on 6/24/70 was also joined by another classmate and friend a really nice quiet guy named Gary Fleck who had just arrived in Vietnam and was killed two days after Sgt. Tom Catlin in died. PFC Gary L. Fleck was machine gunned and died on 6/26/70.

If my memory serves me right Tom enlisted and went first, Gary drew #17 in the new 19 year old draft I drew #258, they went up to #202 that year. A good friend had a wife and child on the way drew #205, Gary left a wife and small child, such is how random fate can be.

Oh another good friend who was a total 4F after a motorcycle accident drew #366 the highest number in the drawing.

Only one other kid from Niles died in Vietnam that I know of David T. Orwig III on 3/25/68 just months before we graduated from Niles McKinley High School. All just memories now.

★   ■~~~~~~~~~~▪︎~~~~~~~~~~▪︎~~~~~~~~~~▪︎   ★   ▪︎~~~~~~~~~~▪︎~~~~~~~~~~▪︎~~~~~~~~~~■   ★

*  (Rev. 1/19/2024)    Just sitting back and reminiscing  it's  5:37 pm just after sunset  22° looking accross a snow covered field in my backyard in Boardman, Ohio.  So peaceful and tranquil now,  and scroll through the pages on my tablet ... that some guest was here  also just on this very  page.

I can only wonder about what he or she was thinking  about on what they just read. 

These are the moments when you let your mind just wander.  Or like when they have a Vietnam War Memorial shows that you think back about 50+ years to the great -or- tragic events of your life or those you knew.

But I also like to think back on those excitimg moments  like that one on that  Saturday October 8, 1966  night and the game with  Massilon versus our Niles McKinley Red Dragons  in yet another clash of top Ohio high school teams in front of a packed house.   Getting ready for the opening kickoff. ..... and finally it is here !   

And then the action of the awaited game is on and the many moments of the game will be tomorrow's newspapers highlights.   Including one that I will  NEVER   forget in my entire life when  we  scored the go-ahead touchdown   against Massillion  and my fnnriend Tom and I jumped straight up together in total excitement.  We were going finally beat those Massillon Tigers on our home field and move up to clinch our  3rd  State Championship in 6 years.   Wow just wow.  

* And yes my friend Tom  was later   *Sgt Thomas D. Catlin  was was killed. In  Vietnam on  6/24/70  and like I've said before I was 19 then he will be forever 20 years old.        ♥︎ Sincerely  Rest in Peace pal. 

■  And life goes on for most of us. ■

 

Edited by mjp28
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  • 5 months later...

Hard to believe but as every high school season rolls around I remember my high school years even going on 51 years now.

Amazing too how a town of about 22,000 back then had a high school football stadium that could seat 15,000 and be sold out every game.

When my dad took me to my first game in 1959 I didn't know then that I would never see the RED DRAGONS ever lose a home game through my Senior season in the fall of 1967 on a thrilling last minute TD vs Warren G. Harding our perennial last game every season.

 

Niles lost their first home game in the 1960s in 1968 vs Warren Western Reserve my first year in college at YSU.

 

I'm sure today most kids do not have the association with high school sports like we did....too bad for them.

1966-10-8-229x300.jpg.6e5936c032b7960fea0b6a1202187afc.jpg

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I just happened to look this post and the 1964 Niles vs Massillon Game of the Century post over again.

Both belong together and are part of Ohio's rich high school history. 

GO RED DRAGONS! 

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  • 3 months later...

Strange small world, tonight I was coming home from the hospital via a local ambulance two young guys on the crew both football fans started talking about football including high school football got around to Niles McKinley RED DRAGON football including the 1964 NILES - MASSILLON Game of the Century and this one NILES - MASSILLON 1966.

He googled them up, I told him I was there on the sidelines in NILES in 1966.....amazing moment.

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The view of that game from the Massillon point of view.  

https://massillontigers.com/1966/10/08/1966-massillon-12-niles-mckinley-20

Tigers’ 32-Game Streak Ends

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

As the sense of feeling returns when the dentist’s shot of Novocain wears off, so the numbness in Tigertown has subsided today. Players and fans are back to reality.

The 32-game unbeaten streak is gone. Any chance for a third straight gridiron title has been considerably dimmed. So have chances for a fourth straight All-American High School league title.
* * *

1966-10-8-229x300.jpg

Program Cover

TIGER GRIDDERS have started their preparation for this Saturday’s invasion by Altoona, Pa., knowing that despite a last quarter breakdown which cost them a 20-12 loss at Niles Saturday night, they played some excellent defensive football. The Bengals also know the REAL Tiger fans are still solidly behind them as they “Carry on for Massillon.”

There is still a lot of football left in 1966. The Washington high eleven still must uphold the honor of Ohio football against Altoona, still has a chance to play spoiler for such
still-undefeated teams as Upper Arlington and Steubenville.

As Coach Bob Seaman put it, “We lost the game but we didn’t deserve to get beat. Massillon is still the No. 1 team as far as I’m concerned. I wouldn’t want to be the next team to play Massillon.”

The game boiled down to a case of some breaks, some poor officiating mechanics and some short-comings on the part of the Tigers. With the season half over, it has become painfully apparent that the Bengal offense is not getting the job done, thereby putting added pressure on the defense. The Tiger defensive secondary is also having its troubles – with pass coverage.

The Niles McKinley Red Dragons took a page out of the Tigers’ comeback Saturday night before a capacity crowd of 12,500 at Riverside stadium. The Dragons must be given-credit for being a great team to execute the type of comeback they did.
* * *

THERE IS some question as to whether they actually won the game. Junior end John Ziegler made a desperation diving catch of senior quarterback Bob Leonard’s 34-yard down-the-middle pass at the goal line with 38 seconds left.

No official was near the play at the time. From the pressbox, it looked like the catch had been made, but several Tiger players charged field judge John Holzback, hotly debating his ruling of a touchdown.

Niles had taken over the ball on its 31 with 1:36 left. Two passes to Ziegler and an option pitch, which had given the Tigers trouble throughout the night, set up the winning play.

About 5 minutes earlier it had appeared the Obiemen were about to break a 7-year unbeaten home streak for Niles with a 12-0 victory.

Senior linebacker Will Foster and junior halfback Trevor Young had brought Niles senior halfback Martin Henry down on the Massillon one on fourth down after a 53-yard Dragon drive.

But disaster struck with first down on the 12. Tiger Foster fumbled and Niles defensive end Pat Ryan recovered. Leonard passed to senior end Dick Clapp at the goal post with 4:50 remaining. Senior end Lance Cullembine couldn’t catch Leonard’s pass on the conversion attempt.
* * *

NILES EXECUTED a perfect onside kick as Leonard booted instead of Clapp. Junior halfback Larry Trimbitas grabbed the ball out of the air on the Massillon 42.

Four plays later – after good runs off the option pitch and a handoff by Henry and senior halfback Bruce Simeone, senior fullback Gary Bletsch took another option pitch on first and 9 and went in around the left side with 3:48 showing on the clock. Ron Hallock, a senior reserve fullback, failed to convert on another pitch.

The Tigers could get no further than their 39 on the next series. Harley Dickinson punted out and then came the fateful Niles TD drive followed by Leonard’s keeper conversion.

Massillon got another chance on the kickoff but got no further than its 40 as the clock ran out while Bengal players tried frantically to call timeout with 7 seconds left and fans beginning to stream on to the field. The gridiron was the scene of a wild Niles victory celebration at the conclusion of the contest.

It is unfortunate that the Tigers couldn’t have capitalized on all of their 3-fumble recoveries in the first period. Sherrett picked one up on the Niles 20. Junior linebacker Ron Ertle got another on the 19 after which Foster capped a 9-play drive, going in over center on fourth and one but the Bengals were in motion and ran out of downs. Senior quarterback Craig Maurer set up the hoped for TD with a 10-yard pass to Sherrett on the right sideline.
* * *

SENIOR co-captain and “monster” back Ron Muhlbach got another Niles fumble on the 8. On the second play following, Foster went through the middle from the one after taking the ball to the one on a pitch right on first down. There was 1:27 left in the quarter as Maurer was unable to hit tight end Tom Liggett in the left corner of the end zone on the conversion attempt.

The Tigers didn’t get any further than their 31 until the third period when they punted from the Niles 35 on fourth down. Senior guard Greg Russell downed the ball on the Niles 2. Three plays later a Niles punt rolled dead on the Dragons’ 38.

Foster broke through the right side on first down, taking several would-be tacklers with him as he finally got in for the touchdown. Big Will, rapidly becoming one of Massillon’s all-time great backs, missed through the center on the conversion but his running

high-lighted the Tiger attack. The clock showed 2:47 left in the period as Massillon led
12-0.

The Tiger defense came to the fore several times in the second period, led by senior linebacker Hoyt Sketon. Senior end Jim Sterling picked up a Niles fumble on the Bengal 7 after senior end John Isoldi of Niles had partially blocked a Tiger punt. But Massillon fumbled right back with Ryan giving Niles control.

Senior end Mike Kraft covered a Niles fumble on the Massillon 19 during the second stanza. Foster intercepted a pass in the end zone and might have been off to the races except he slipped in cutting.
* * *

BOB SHAW, Niles coach, summed up his feelings with, “It was a great victory. I’m real proud of the boys. Bob Seaman deserves a lot of credit for bringing a team here that was supposed to get trounced but which played like the Tigers did. It’s a shame what they’re doing to him in Massillon.”

Massillon’s record is 3-1-1, Niles 5-0 and leads the All-American league with Massillon third.  ....... CONTINUED WITH MORE STATS ON THE GAME......

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  • 6 months later...

I happened to see this in Wikipedia:

The Niles McKinley Red Dragon football team was started in 1898. They held a 48-game regular season winning streak from 1959 to 1964 and were Ohio State Champions in 1961 and 1963. The coach during this period, Tony Mason, went on to accept head coaching positions at University of Arizona and University of Cincinnati, and was elected to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002. They also went undefeated in 1966, and were not only ranked number one team in Ohio, but number five in the United States.

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  • 1 year later...

~         October 12,  2023 -  I have not  even looked at this article and this thread in  OVER  three years   -but-  I remember it   very well.    Every paragraph,  every single thought. 

And I'm 73 now   -but-   I remember that 1966 season and year oh so very well.  When you go through an experience like that you   never   forget it,  it just doesn't leave you.

Some of the coaches and players from that season are no longer with us.   But downstairs in a couple of boxes in particular for the 1961 and 1963 years when I did scrapbooks when I was 11 and 13 of   every   single home game i saw.   Every single program  i kept.  Every single article from The Niles Times and Youngstown Vindicator  that I cut out and saved ...... everything.    In 1961 and 1963  ( Bo Rein's Senior season ) and  The Niles McKinley  Red Dragons first and second  State of Ohio High School  Champions !   

Maybe that's why ive been such an avid football fan in HS, college and professional  levels.   Even my Niles Red Dragons are in the playoffs now unlike some lean recent years.    And my alma mater  Youngstown State University  has had some good and great seasons among a few down ones .... but i still listen or watch to every game on WKBN.

But my Junior high school football season in 1966 I have a pretty much complete collection of everything   -plus-  some incredible memories of that year.   

♥︎   Oh yes !     Saturday  October  8, 1966.  about  ♥︎  57 years  and 4 days ago. (+/-).   ......   :D 

1966-10-8-229x300.jpg.6e5936c032b7960fea0b6a1202187afc.jpg.c9a606cac047aad1f3474eb59672d89d.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
Posted (edited)
On 6/9/2020 at 11:48 AM, mjp28 said:

I happened to see this in Wikipedia:

The Niles McKinley Red Dragon football team was started in 1898. They held a 48-game regular season winning streak from 1959 to 1964 and were Ohio State Champions in 1961 and 1963. The coach during this period, Tony Mason, went on to accept head coaching positions at University of Arizona and University of Cincinnati, and was elected to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002. They also went undefeated in 1966, and were not only ranked number one team in Ohio, but number five in the United States.

~   Just an update from  Monday,  January 01 /  2024  - but -  being a legal holiday and the library is  CLOSED well you know.   mjp.

Screenshot_2024-01-01_174824.jpg

Edited by mjp28
♣︎ The LIBRARY is CLOSED today. ♣︎ mjp.
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  • mjp28 changed the title to ■ NILES 1966 What should have been. .... 50 years ago, the #5 team in the USA ! ■

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